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When Parker resident Nick French established Frangiosa Farms in 2008, he had two goals in mind—help save the bees, and harvest pure, raw honey to package and sell locally. Nine years later, his simple vision has evolved to include helping veterans and people who suffer from pain and anxiety, and recruiting more people to help save the bees.

French, a Marine Corps veteran, took his honey in a whole new direction in 2015, when he and his wife came up with the idea to infuse their honey with local Colorado full spectrum hemp extracts, along with essential oils, to create a product that French believes can help people struggling with pain, anxiety and PTSD.

Colorado Hemp Honey was born.

“I have been directly affected by the loss of loved ones with the opioid epidemic in the United States,” said French. “I set out as a goal to develop products that act as an alternative to opioids. It is a personal mission of mine.”

A lot of experimenting followed, and the result was four new flavors of honey, infused with hemp extract. Ginger Soothe, Lemon Stress Less, Tangerine Tranquility and Raw Relief, sold in either individual tubes or jars, have become popular products that are gaining national attention.

“All of the products are made with legal hemp extract, and per section 7606 of the 2014 Farm Bill contain less than .03 percent THC,” said Heather Timmons, communications manager for Colorado Hemp Honey. “They’re safe for kids and animals over 12 months of age, and are a nice, sweet way to get the benefits of honey, hemp and essential oils.”

Timmons said their products can be used for relaxation, to provide an energy boost, to help with stomach issues and even to enhance performance in athletic activities.

According to French, honey is not only a natural and sustaining source of energy, it also serves as a conduit for naturally occurring terpenes found in the hemp extracts, which may help relieve anxiety and physical aches and pains.

Not one to forget his fellow veterans, French recently partnered with Veterans to Farmers, to help veterans assimilate into civilian life. The Bee Shepherd Training Program gives veterans a series of workshops that teach them how to set up new bee colonies, conduct routine inspections, mitigate losses and harvest honey. Some veterans find working with bees mentally beneficial, while others may pursue a career in agriculture or start their own honey business. Frangiosa Farms donates 10 cents from each jar of honey sold to the VTF program.

As for the bees that started it all?

“The bees are well taken care of, and between partnering with the veterans and our Adopt-a-honeybee program, bees in Colorado should be thriving,” said Timmons.